Electric generating apparatus.



No. 656,I65. v PatentedAug. 2l, |900. J. H. BICKFORD.

ELECTRIC GENERATING APPARATUS.

(Appicazion filed Dee. s, 1899.) (N0 Hl.) 2 Sheets-Sheet DYNAMO BILERMPUQEEEES: g ai lqdqiclmq:

#E 3m, @HMM ma mams mms comkouuwo, wAsmNmoN. o. c.

No. 656,|65. Patented Aug.V 2|, i900.

J. H. BICKF-URD. ELECTRIC GENERATING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Dec. 8, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

mlmqEEEEE me NoRms Pinus co. PHoTaLlmo.. wAsHlNmoN. o. n.

UNiTnn Tatras nTnN'r Brien,

JOHN H. BICKFORD, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC GENERATING APPARATUS.

SEECIFCATIL'ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 656,165, dated August21, 1906.

Application tiled December 8, 1899. Serial No. 739,677. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern,.- Be it known that l, JOHN H. BICKFORD, ofSalem, county of Essex, and State of Massachusetts, have invented anImprovement in Electric Generating Apparatus, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.ro This invention has for its object to construct an electric generatingapparatus which is especially adapted for generating an electric currentfor an electric-lighting system comprising a small number of lamps, saidI 5 electric generating apparatus having the capability of being veryeconomically run and in many respects is automatic in its operation.Such an electric-lighting system is especially adapted for residences,stores, halls, zo dac., yet said electric generating apparatus may beemployed for other purposes.

The electric generating apparatus comprises, essentially, a dynamo and apower generating and converting apparatus-such,

2 5 for instance, as a steam-generator and engine for operating it 5 andthe essential feature of this invention consists in providing means forvarying the output of said power generating and converting apparatuswhich shall be opgo erated by the circuit of said dynamo, so that asmore or less current is called for the output of the power generatingand converting apparatus will be correspondingly increased or decreased.The means which I employ for varying the output of the power generatingand converting apparatus is preferably automatic in its operation. lncase a steam-engine is employed a steam-generator will be providedhaving a burner adapted for burning gas, oil, or vapor, singly or incombination, and the supply of fuel'to said burner will be controlled bymeans operated by o r under the control of the dynamo-circuit, so thatas more or less current is called for the supply of fuel will becorrespondingly varied. rEhe means for thus varying the supply of fuelis automatic in its action and may consist of a solenoid or otherelectromagnetic device included 5o in or operated by the dynamo-circuitand having its armature connected with a valve which is adapted tocontrol the supply of fuel to the burner. The means provided forconnecting the armature of the solenoid with the controlling-valvepreferably comprehends an 5 5 automatic device by which said valve willbe positively closed whenever the armature of the solenoid returns toits normal or retracted position, thereby shutting off the supply offuel; yet means is also provided where- 6o by said automatic device maybe prevented from thus operating at the will of the operator. Means isalso provided for operating said valve independently of the automaticmeans in order that said valve may be opened a limited distance wheneverdesired-as, for instance, when starting the apparatus-and saidindependent means for operating said yvalve is preferably employed asthe means for placing said valve under the control of 7o the automaticoperating device. By providing means for thus varying the output of thepower generating and converting apparatus which is operated orcontrolledby the dynamo-circuit the speed of the armature of the dynamo may bemaintained substantially constant under varying loads.

i Figure l shows in side elevation and diagram an electric generatingvapparatus embodying 'this invention; Fig.l 2, a diagram 8o showing thedynamo and its circuit and the automatic device controlled by saidcircuit for varying the output of the motor; Figs. 8 and 4, detailsto bereferred te.

a represents a steam-generator, which may be a boiler of any ordinarytype, and said steam-generator is provided with a burner of any suitabledescription, which is supplied with fuel, preferablyin the form of agas, by means of a pipe a. I

b represents an engine of any ordinary type, and in conjunction with thesteam-generator constitutes a power generating and converting apparatus.c represents a dynamo, also of any ordinary type, although a compound-95 wound dynamo appears to behest suited for practically carrying outthis invention, and consequently such form is herein shown.

The steam-generator and engine serve as a power generating andconverting apparatus roo for operating the dynamo, and they are hereinshown merely for the sake of illustrating my invention, as I do notdesire to limit my invention to the employment of such form of powergenerating and converting apparatus.

A delivery-pipe a is connected with the conducting-pipe CL2, which isconnected with any suitable supply of fuel, although for the purpose ofthis invention the fuel which passes through or along theconducting-pipe Ct2 is in the form of a gas. The pipe CL2 may beconnected directly with a gas-supply or with a supply of any kind ofliquid hydrocarbon, as preferred; but if connected with a supply ofliquid hydrocarbon means Will be provided for vaporizing the said liquidhydrocarbon before or as it enters the pipe Ct?.

A valve e is provided which controls the supply of fuel to the burner,and said valve c is herein represented as comprising, essentially, avalve-case c', to which the pipes Ct/ and CL2 are connected, and avalve-plug c?, contained therein, which is adapted to close upon a seate3. rlhe valve-plug c"l is formed or provided with the scre\f-threadedstem c4, Workin g in a suitable stufiing-bcx or packing, so that byturning said stem the valve-plug c`e will be moved toward and from itsseat. NVhenever the valve c is open andthe burner lighted, anenergizing` agent will be developed by heat and the steam-generator Willbe operated and also the engine and dynamo. The present invention,however, comprehends suitable means by which the valve c may be opened'more or less to supply a varying quantity of fuel to in turn vary thequantity of steam in the boiler in order that the output of the dynamomay be accordingly varied to compensate for the number of lamps or othertranslating devices which are included in or operated by thedynamocircuit-as, for instance, if but a few lamps are turned on thevalve c will be opened but little, Whereas if a greater number ot' lampsare turned ou the valve c will be opened wider. In carrying out thisresult means is provided for operating said valve c automatically whichwill be controlled by or will be under the control of thedynamo-circuit, so that as more or less current is called for the valvec will be opened more or less. Many forms of automatic devices may beprovided for aecomplishing this result, one of which is herein shown forthe sake of illustrating the invention. The form herein shown consistsof a solenoid fincluded in the eircuitf of the dynamo c, to be operatedthereby, it boing shown as included in series in said circuit, and thelamps f2 may be arranged in parallel in said circuit as usual, and assaid lamps are connected with the circuit f', or, in other words, turnedon, the armature fs of said solenoid will be attracted more or less,according to the number of lamps which are connected in circuit. Thegreater the number of lamps which are connected in circuit the more saidarmature f3 will be attracted. The armature f3 has projecting from it anarm f1, Which has attached to or connected. with it a vrack-bar f5, andas the armature is moved in either direction the rack-bar will becorrespondingly moved. A spiral spring f6 is provided for positivelyreturning the armature to its normal retracted position, and a dash-potf7 or any other suitable retarding device will be provided to regulatethe return of said armature. The rack-barf5 is adapted to engage apinion f3, which is secured to the valve-stem e4, so that as saidrack-bar is moved in either direction the valve-stem will becorrespondingly turned to move the valve-plug @"3 toward and from itsseat. With the parts so far described it Will be seen that as the lampsare connected in circuit or turned on the armature of the solenoid willoperate the valve c more or less, according to the number of lamps thusconnected in circuit or turned on, and colisequently as more or lesscurrent is called for the steam-generator will be correspondinglysupplied with a greater or less quantity of fuel. Thus it will beobserved that the valve e is operated automatically by means controlledby or under the control ofthe dynan'io-circuit.

.Vhen starting the apparatus-as, for in stance, when lighting the burnerof thesteamgenerator-it is necessary to first open the valve c, andmeans is herein provided for accomplishing this result by hand which isindependent of the automatic means provided for operating said valve.Also when all the lamps have been turned off or disconnected from thecircuit it is desirable to close the valve c automatically. As a simpleWay of accomplishing these two results a lianddever 7:, is secured tothe valve-stem c4, which may be raised from the position shown in Fig. 3to the position shown in Fig. il, and When thus raised the valve-steinc'L will be turned suiliciently to open the valve c a little Way, sothat a limited supply of fuel is provided, and a latch 7L is providedwhich engages the hand-lever 7L and holds it in such position while thesteam is being generated in the boiler. The hand-lever Will remain inthis position until the electric current traverses the cireuit-as, forinstance, until the lamps are turned on-and then as the armature f3attracts the rack-bar will serve as an operating device for saidvalve-stein e'l and will move the hand-lever farther in the samedirection that it was moved to open the valve in starting the apparatus,rlhus it will be seen that the valve e is adapted to be operatedindependently ot' the automatic means provided for operating it to openthe valve a limited distance when starting the apparatus.

rlhe pinion f8 is made as a mutilated pinion-et'. c., several of itsteeth are removedso that as the valve-stem c' is turned by thehand-lever 7i to open the valve c theracli-bar will not be moved; butjust as said hand-le ver becomes engaged by the latch 71,.5 the firsttooth of said pinion is brought into engagement with the teeth of therack-bar, so that said rack-bar may serve to further turn the pinion andoperate the valve c. llence it IOO IIO

will be seen that the automatic means employed for operating the valve eWill be' brought into action by the means employed forindependentlylmoving the valve-stem to open the valve. As the lamps areturned off and the rack-bar f5 returns to its normal position, asrepresented in Fig. 4, the hand-le ver Will be returned until it isbrought into engagement with the latch 7i unless means are provided forobviating such result.

In some instances it Will be found desirable to keep the valve e open atall times, so that the lamps maybe turned on at any time Withoutnecessitating relighting the burner, and in such case the latch h Willserve to keep the valve `eopen a limited distance even when all thelamps are turned off and the armature of the solenoid has returned toits normal retracted position. In other instances it Will be founddesirable to positively close the valve c whenever all the lamps areturned off, and in order that this result may be accomplished automaticmeans are provided for removing the latch from its engaging position,and for simplicity I have provided on said rack-bar a pin 2 and haveprovided the latch 7L' with a short arm 3, Which projectsinto the pathof movement of said pin 2,and as the rackbar descends or is moved by theattraction of the armature f 3 the pin 2 Will engage said short arm 3and lift the latch h, so that upon the return of said rack-bar toitsnormal position the latch 77, will not be in position kto engage thehand-lever. The latch when thus operated Will be reset by hand. Afriction-plate is provided at the pivot of the latch which is capable ofholding said latch in Whatever position it may be set. The handleverWill be Weighted sufficiently so that it will fall by gravity at suchtime and turn the valve-stem e4, and thus automatically close the valvee. I do not, however, desire to limit my invention to including thisfeature, as it may or may not be employed.

The dynamo-circuit f Willbe provided with any suitable form of mainswitch t by which it may be opened and closed.

I do not desire to limit myinvention to the employment of any particularform or construction of means for automatically operating the valve ewhich is controlled by the circuit of the dynamo, as it is obvious thatmany different devices may be employed, all

of which I intend shall come Within the spirit and scope of thisinvention.

I claimd 1. An electric generating apparatus comprisin g a powergenerating and converting apparatus, the energizing agent of which isdeveloped by heat, a dynamo, and a controlling device operated by thecircuit of said dynamo for varying the supply of energizing agent tosaid generating and converting apparatus, whereby the output of saidgenerating and converting apparatus may be varied to compensate forvariations in the output of the dynamo, substantially as described.

2. An electric generating apparatus comprising a steam-generator, engineand dynamo, a burner for said steam-generator and means for controllingthe supply of fuel to said burner which is operated by the circuit ofsaid dynamo, substantially as described.

3. An electric generating apparatus comprising a steamgenerator, engineand dynamo, a burner for said steam-generator and automatic means forcontrolling the supply of fuel to said burner which is controlled bythecircuit of said dynamo, substantially as described.

4. An electric generating apparatus comprising a steam-generator, engineand dyna-A mo, a burner for said steam-generator, a valve forcontrolling the supply of fuel to said burner and means for operatingsaid valve operated by the circuit ot said dynamo, sub: stantially asdescribed.

5. An electric generating apparatus comprising a steam-generator, engineand dynamo, a burner for said steam-generator, a valve for controllingthe vsupply of fuel to said burner, an electromagnetic device operatedby the circuit of said dynamo, the armature of which is connected Withand adapted to operate said valve,substantially as described.

6. An electric generating apparatus comprising a steam-generator, engineand dynamo, a burner for said steam-generator, avalve controlling thesupply of fuel to said burner and automatic means for operating saidvalve operated by the circuit of said dynamo and means for operatingsaidvalve independently of said automatic means, substantially asdescribed.

7. In an electric generating apparatus comprising a steam-generator,engine and dynamo, a burner for said steam-generator, a valvecontrolling the supply of fuel to said burner and automatic means foroperating said valve operated by the circuit of said dynamo and meansfor operating said valve independently of said automatic means, Whichalso serves as and constitutes means for throwing said aumatic meansinto action, substantially as described.

8. An electric generating apparatus comprising a steam-generator, engineand dynamo, a burner for said steam-generator, a valve controlling thesupply of fuel to said burner, automatic means for operating said valveoperated by the circuit of said dynamo and means for opening said valveindependently of said automatic means Which is in turn operatedautomatically to close said valve, substantially as described.

9. An electric generating apparatus comprising a steam-generator, engineand dynamo, aburner for said steam-generator, a valve controlling thesupply of fuel to said burner, automatic means for operating said valveIOO i escasa operated by the circuit of said dynamo and means foropening said valve independently of said automatic means which serves asa 'means for throwing said automatic means mo, a burner for saidsteam-genera tor, a valve for controlling the supply of fuel to saidburner, an electromagnetic device operated by the circuit of said dynamoand means for operating said valve and for also connecting the armatureof said electromagnetic device with said valve, substantially asdescribed.

12. An electric generating apparatus comprising a steam-generator,engine and dynamo, a burner for said steam-generator, a valve forcontrolling the supply of fuel to said burner, an electric magneticdevice operated by the circuit of said dynamo and means for connectingthe armature of said electromagnetic device with said valve whereby saidvalve will be operated by said electromagnetic device, said meanscomprchending an automatic device for closing said valve when the armature returns to its retracted position, substantially as described.

lin testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN Il. lSCKFORD. Witnesses:

Fomms'r L. EVANS, ARTHUR A. Avmunnn.

